2.5  SENDING E-MAIL TO OTHER NETWORKS
 
 
There are a number of computer networks that are not directly part of the 
Net, but which are now connected through "gateways" that allow the 
passing of e-mail.  Here's a list of some of the larger networks, how to 
send mail to them and how their users can send mail to you: 
 
America Online 
--------------
 
Remove any spaces from a user's name and append "@aol.com," to get 
 
     user@aol.com 
 
America Online users who want to send mail to you need only put your 
Net address in the "to:" field before composing a message. 
 
 
ATTMail 
-------
 
Address your message to user@attmail.com. 
   
From ATTMail, a user would send mail to you in this form: 
 
     internet!domain!user 
 
So if your address were nancyr@world.std.com, your correspondent would 
send a message to you at 
 
     internet!world.std.com!nancyr 
 
 
Bitnet 
------
     
Users of Bitnet (and NetNorth in Canada and EARN in Europe) often have 
addresses in this form: IZZY@INDVMS.  If you're lucky, all you'll have to 
do to mail to that address is add "bitnet" at the end, to get 
izzy@indvms.bitnet.  Sometimes, however, mail to such an address will 
bounce back to you, because Bitnet addresses do not always translate well 
into an Internet form.  If this happens, you can send mail through one of 
two Internet/Bitnet gateways. First, change the @ in the address to a %, 
so that you get username%site.bitnet.  Then add either @vm.marist.edu or 
@cunyvm.cuny.edu, so that, with the above example, you would get 
izzy%indyvms.bitnet@vm.marist.edu or izzy%indvyvms.bitnet@cunyvm.cuny.edu 

Bitnet users have it a little easier: They can usually send mail directly 
to your e-mail address without fooling around with it at all.  So send 
them your address and they should be OK. 
 
 
CompuServe 
----------
 
CompuServe users have numerical addresses in this form: 73727,545. 
To send mail to a CompuServe user, change the comma to a period and add 
"@compuserve.com"; for example: 73727.545@compuserve.com. 

Note that many CompuServe users must pay extra to receive mail from the 
Internet. 

If you know CompuServe users who want to send you mail, tell them to GO 
MAIL and create a mail message. In the address area, instead of typing in 
a CompuServe number, have them type your address in this form: 
 
     INTERNET:YourID@YourAddress. 
 
For example, INTERNET:adamg@world.std.com.                  

 
Delphi
------
 
To send mail to a Delphi user, the form is username@delphi.com. 
 
Fidonet 
-------
 
To send mail to people using a Fidonet BBS, you need the name they use to 
log onto that system and its "node number.''  Fidonet node numbers or 
addresses consist of three numbers, in this form: 1:322/190.  The first 
number tells which of several broad geographic zones the BBS is in (1 
represents the U.S. and Canada, 2 Europe and Israel, 3 Pacific Asia, 4 
South America).  The second number represents the BBS's network, while 
the final number is the BBS's "FidoNode'' number in that network. If your 
correspondent only gives you two numbers (for example, 322/190), it means 
the system is in zone 1.   

Now comes the tricky part. You have to reverse the numbers and add to 
them the letters f, n and z (which stand for "FidoNode,''"network,'' and 
"zone'). For example, the address above would become 
 
     f190.n322.z1. 
 
Now add "fidonet.org'' at the end, to get f190.n322.z1.fidonet.org. Then 
add "FirstName.LastName@', to get 
 
     FirstName.LastName@f190.n322.z1.fidonet.org
 
Note the period between the first and last names. Also, some countries 
now have their own Fidonet "backbone" systems, which might affect 
addressing.  For example, were the above address in Germany, you would 
end it with "fido.de" instead of "fidonet.org." 
     
Whew! 

The reverse process is totally different. First, the person has to have 
access to his or her BBS's "net mail" area and know the Fidonet address 
of his or her local Fidonet/UUCP gateway (often their system operator 
will know it).  Your Fidonet correspondent should address a net-mail 
message to UUCP (not your name) in the "to:" field.  In the node-number 
field, they should type in the node number of the Fidonet/UUCP gateway 
(if the gateway system is in the same regional network as their system, 
they need only type the last number, for example, 390 instead of 
322/390).  Then, the first line of the message has to be your Internet 
address, followed by a blank line.  After that, the person can write the 
message and send it.  

Because of the way Fidonet moves mail, it could take a day or two for a 
message to be delivered in either direction.  Also, because many Fidonet 
systems are run as hobbies, it is considered good form to ask the gateway 
sysop's permission if you intend to pass large amounts of mail back and 
forth. Messages of a commercial nature are strictly forbidden (even if 
it's something the other person asked for). Also, consider it very likely 
that somebody other than the recipient will read your messages. 
 
 
GEnie  
-----

To send mail to a GEnie user, add "@genie.geis.com" to the end of the 
GEnie user name, for example: walt@genie.geis.com. 
 
MCIMail 
-------
 
To send mail to somebody with an MCIMail account, add "@mcimail.com to 
the end of their name or numerical address. For example: 
       
     555-1212@mcimail.com 
 
or 
     
     jsmith@mcimail.com 
 
Note that if there is more than one MCIMail subscriber with that name, 
you will get a mail message back from MCI giving you their names and 
numerical addresses. You'll then have to figure out which one you want 
and re-send the message. 
 
From MCI, a user would type 
 
     Your Name (EMS) 
 
at the "To:" prompt.  At the EMS prompt, he or she would type 
 
    internet 
 
followed by your Net address at the "Mbx:" prompt. 
 
Prodigy 
------- 
     
UserID@prodigy.com.  Note that Prodigy users must pay extra for 
Internet e-mail.